Combination-level



(No Model.)

J. H'. SANDS.

GOMBINATIGN LEVEL.

P tentedJne 12,1888.

UNITED STATES JAMES H. SANDS, or HOUSTON, TEXAS.

COMBINATION-LEVEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,443, dated June 12, 1883, Application led June, 1882. (No model.)

To LZ/Z whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. SANDs, of Houston, in the county of Harris and State of rTexas, have invented certain new and.- useful Improvements in Levels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making apart of this specification, in which- Figure l shows a side elevation of my combi nedlevel. Fig. 2 shows a central longitudinal vertical section ofFig. l. Fig. Sshows a vertical transverse section of the same on line :r ar. Fig. 4L. shows a similar section of mylevel with a modified form of indicator. Fig. 5 shows an elevation ofthe eye-piece end of my level.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the iigures. e

The object of my invention is broadly to provide a combined carpenters and surveyo1"s level of a cheap, simple, light, and durable form, and adapted for use as a carpenters plumb and level or a surveyors level interchangeably without the removal or change oi" any of its parts; and to this end it consists in the conformation and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter more fully described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

In the annexed drawings, A designates the rectangular level-bar, of the l usual size and shape of level -bars The tapering passage B extends longitudinally and centrally from end to end ofthe bar. At the larger end of this passage' is a screw-piece, C, containing the objeet-glass or lens D, and at its smaller end an eye-piece, E, having the glass F and crosswires e e. Midway of its length the bar has a transverse opening or passage, B', closed near each end by the dial or index plates G. In the dial-plates are central openings for the passage of the shaft H, carrying the pointers I I at its outer ends, and having attached to it, i ust back of each dial-plate, a weight, K. The obvious purpose of these weights fastened to the shaft is to keep the pointers always vertical. y As will Vbe seen, by reference to Fig. 3, the shaft H is `journaled at each end in one of the indeX-plates, which platesmform the only supports necessary for said shaft. J ust back of these the shaft is shouldered, as shown, Fig. 3, to bear against the plates, so that all longitudinal play of the shaftis prevented. The

indexI or dial plates have their circumierences divided into degrees to indicate by the posi- .tion of the pointer the angle at which the bar lensare so arranged relatively that they are both in the same line drawn parallel Vto the edge ofthe bar. Upon the si des of the bar are pivoted, near the transverse opening, plates L L, arranged to swing 'over and cover the dialplates and pointers when they are not in use. They have on their outer ends hooks which engage with pins on the bar to hold the plates in place when swung over the dials. The object-glass Yand eye-piece may also be provided, if desired, with si milar coverin g-pl atcs, or with slides for the same purpose. f

` In Fi 4, I show amodiied form ofindicator, in which the shaft has only one weight and pointer, and is journaled at one end in the single index-dial and atA the other in a plate, O, attached to the back of the recess in the bar. The single weight, as is the case with the double form thereof, which I prefer, is attached to the shaft so as to be out of the line of vision through the telescope-tube. The shaft H, I journal in' the dial-plates, so as to turn with as little friction as possible. rIhe index-pointer will then show delicately the slightest variation of the edge of the bar from/a horizontal or vertical' line, andwill give, in connection with the graduated index-plate, an accurate measure of the angle of deviation of the edge from such line. My level can then obviously be used not only as a carpenter-s level, but as a plulnb, andalso as a surveyors level or leveling-instrument- As is evident, for instance, if a distant point be sighted through the telescope-tube in the usual way, the pointers will indicate on the graduated dials the angle of inclination of the line of sight through that point. As is shown, the opening B is of a diameter equal to more than two-thirds the thickness of the bar and intersects the passage l B. The shaft H passes above theline of sight through the tube. l

lVith my construction, without increasing the size of the bar beyond that usual in levelbars, without any external change from the ordinary shape thereof, and without interference with the line of sight through the telescope IOO tube, I can heavily weight the shaft and give the weights a long leverage, so as to make my indicator very sensitive.

\'/Vith the large dials divided into degrees 5 and the correspondingly long pointers, very slight angles or variations ot' the edge of the bar from true horizontal Or vertical lines can `be accurately measured.

Most of the Ordinary level-bars in the market can easily and cheaply be altered7 so as to be in accordance with my invention, without interfering with thespirit-tube or other usual form of level-indicator used with them.

Having thus fully described and set forth my invention, what I claim is-'- l. The combined surveyors and carpenter s level, consisting of the rectangular bar having a longitudinal sighting-passage and the transverse passage intersecting'the si ghting-passage, and closed at both ends by graduated dialplates, which form bearings for the index-p ointer shalt, provided with a weighted arm attached just back of each dial-plate and hanging down at the side of the longitudinal passage and out of the line of sight therethrough, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth. y

2. The combined surveyor s and carpenter s level, consisting Of the rectangularbar having a longitudinal tapering sighting-passage provided at its large end with au objectglass and at its small end with an eye-piece carrying glass and cross-wires, a transverse passage intersect- `ing the longitudinal passage, and closed at each end ,by an index-dial plate, anda shatt proj eeting through, journaled in and supported by said plates, and provided at its Outer en ds with suitable index-pointers, and just behind eaeh plate with a weighted arm hanging down at the side of the longitudinal passage7 and entirely Out Ol the line of sight through said passage, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. rPhe combined surveyors and carpenter s i level, consisting Of a reetangul ar bar having the longitudinal sighting tube or passage near its lower edge, provided with suitable glasses, a transverse passage intersecting the longitudinal One and extending below it, the graduated dialplates closing the ends Oi' the transverse passage, the index-pointer shaft extending through that passage above the line Oi' sight through the sighting-tube, journaled in the dial-plates, and provided just behind said plates with shoulders, and with weighted arms extending nearly to the bottom of the passage at the sides of the sightingtube, and adapted to keep the index-pointer always in a vertical position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. y

J AMES HARLEY SANDS. Vitnesses:

ROBERT BOLTON, XV. BARNES. 

